New Laundry Detergent Pods Recipe

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I actually have an older version of my homemade laundry detergent pods that you can read too. That recipe uses vinegar and is made a little differently.

This newer version skips the vinegar and uses Sal Suds to help bind everything together while adding some extra cleaning power.

You can also customize these with your favorite essential oils or leave them completely unscented.

Laundry Detergent Pods

Makes 12–16 pods, depending on the size of your mold

Ingredients

• ½ cup washing soda
• ½ cup baking soda
• ¼ cup salt
• 2–3 tablespoons Sal Suds
• 20 drops essential oils, optional
• Mold

Instructions:

1. Mix the Dry Ingredients

Add the washing soda, baking soda, and salt to a medium bowl. Stir everything together until the ingredients are evenly combined.

The salt is especially helpful in this recipe because it absorbs moisture and helps keep the finished pods from becoming too soft.

2. Add Your Essential Oils

If you want scented laundry pods, add about 20 drops of your favorite essential oil or essential oil blend.

Stir really well so the oils are distributed throughout the dry mixture rather than concentrated in one spot.

You can completely skip this step if you prefer unscented laundry. The essential oils are mainly here for fragrance, so they aren’t necessary for the recipe to work.

3. Slowly Mix in the Sal Suds

Now drizzle in 2 tablespoons of Sal Suds, mixing as you go.

You want the finished mixture to resemble damp sand. When you squeeze some of it in your hand, it should hold its shape.

If it’s still too dry and crumbly, add a little more Sal Suds, about 1 teaspoon at a time. Try not to add too much at once you want just enough moisture to hold the pods together.

Sal Suds is highly concentrated, so a little goes a long way!

4. Press Into Your Molds

Spoon the mixture into silicone molds or an ice cube tray.

Press it down very firmly. The more tightly you pack the mixture into each cavity, the better the pods will hold together once they’re dry.

Depending on the size of your mold, this recipe should make around 12–16 laundry detergent pods.

5. Let the Pods Completely Dry

Leave the pods in the molds and allow them to air dry for about 24–48 hours.

They should feel completely dry and hard before you remove them. If they still feel soft, give them a little more drying time.

6. Remove and Store

Once they’re completely hardened, carefully pop the laundry pods out of the molds.

Transfer them to an airtight container and keep them somewhere cool and dry until you’re ready to use them.

Keeping moisture away from the pods will help prevent them from softening during storage.

How to Use Homemade Laundry Detergent Pods

For a regular load of laundry, add 1 pod to the wash.

For a large or particularly dirty load, use 2 pods.

If you have hard water or you’re dealing with especially dirty clothes, you can also add 1 tablespoon of sodium percarbonate directly to the wash for some extra stain-fighting power.

Notes:

• The exact amount of Sal Suds you need can vary slightly. Start with 2 tablespoons and only add more if the mixture isn’t holding together. You’re looking for that damp-sand consistency rather than a wet mixture.
• Essential oils are also completely optional. I like adding them when I want a little fragrance, but you can leave them out for a simple unscented version.